A question that drives so many of us.

This past weekend was the annual Radiant Man Camp at Hartland Camp. Over a hundred fellows living in close proximity for a couple days. We had plenty of time in the chapel, competitive games outside, and food in the mess hall.

That was all good, but it wasn’t the best part of the weekend. We were invited to take off our masks. That was powerful. Until this weekend, I hadn’t considered how often our souls mentioned in the book of Psalms.

I have considered feelings to have a pretty low importance to our life overall. I considered feelings to be like the sprinkles, on the icing, on the cake. Kind of nice, but not important.

Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
Psalms 86:4 ESV

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Psalms 131:2 ESV

Today I spoke with someone facing crisis in their business. In their long meeting with the bankers, they decided to liquidate some of their assets (even as the liquidation price costs them heavily, being below their investment). Much like a boat taking on water, they are throwing valuable supplies overboard just to float a little while longer and hope the storm stops.

This fellow told me he didn’t care much for the business anymore, because margins have been too tight for too long now, and stresses have been high. He would be ok to sell it all and move on now.

But the question of his worth hurt him deep. Not the worth of the business or the assets. No it was the question of his worth as a person. His grandparents started this operation and his parents passed it on, and kept it going for nearly a hundred years. Now he wonders if he has to bear the memory of being the generation to let it go. Now he wonders if he is worthy to bear his family name.

We all face this at some point in our lives. The end of ourselves and the end of our pride. When we get there, we have the opportunity to turn to the One who loved us and accepted us from the start.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'”
John 7:37‭-‬38 ESV